


Crossroads

by PeachBlue (theworldmoveson)



Series: I would give up the world for you [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Airbender!Chenle, Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Author abuses Dai Li, Avatar State, Avatar!Chenle, Earthbender!Haechan, Firebender!Jisung, Healer!Jeno, Kun is an Air Bison, KyoshiWarrior!Mark, M/M, Strategist!Jaemin, Waterbender!Renjun, markhyuck if you squint, nomin if you squint harder, struck by lightning - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-10
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-11-15 01:45:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18064214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theworldmoveson/pseuds/PeachBlue
Summary: When Renjun decided to leave the South Pole with the blond boy who claimed to be the long lost Avatar, in reality he had signed himself up for a permanent babysitting duty to Chenle (who he's still positive is some sort of reincarnation of a dolphin rather than the almighty Avatar) and 24/7 daycare to a bunch of unruly, wayward kids.Somewhere along the way his heart decides for him that he'd rather take a dozen knives to the back than relive the moment when Chenle was struck by lightning





	1. Lore

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very indulgent piece, and it’s not really all that standalone, because if you don’t know the Last Airbender lore you’ll find it difficult to understand, I’ll try to give a very brief summary of what’s a really well developed universe.
> 
> The story summary may have sounded lighthearted, but this is definitely not my most light-hearted work. Any other scene in Avatar would be considerably fun to write, but I wanted to challenge myself to write one of the darker scenes in the season, probably why this reads so rigid.
> 
> But I want to give this a shot. So here goes.
> 
> If you’ve watched ATLA or LOK before, you can go straight ahead to the next chapter, or read below for a quick refresher. This short is based on the last episode of Book 2. (I highly recommend you google Zuko and Azula vs Aang and Katara; out of context the fight may be tad confusing, but it'll give you a better understanding of the setting and the lore)
> 
> But really, if you’ve never heard of the Last Airbender, open another tab and watch it now- Not the sorry excuse of a movie, watch the Nickelodeon animation, because you’re missing out on a masterpiece. Literally, what are you doing here.

In the Avatar verse, Four Nations make up the planet: The Water Tribes (at the 2 poles), The Earth Kingdom (a large continent), The Fire Nation (A small string of islands), and the Air Nomads (4 temples around the world).

Select people from each nation can control the element of their nation, they’re called benders. Each bending has some sort of subtype power, for Water it’s healing and Bloodbending, for Earth it’s Metalbending, for Fire it’s Lightning bending and for Air it’s spiritual projection.

And then there’s the Avatar, the only person who can master all four elements, and is reincarnated into a different nation after one generation passes on, the Avatar is a symbol of balance and peace, and the sole connection of the real world to the spirit world.

100 years ago, the Avatar was reincarnated into the Air Nomads and the Fire Nation launched a genocide on all the Airbenders, to rid the world of the Avatar and dominate the world.

The Avatar (or Chenle) in this story runs away before the Fire Nation attacked and froze himself and his Air Bison Kun (a furry flying taxi) in an iceberg in the Southern Water Tribe for a 100 years until Renjun and Jaemin cracked him out while fishing.

At the time of the story, the Southern Water Tribe is near extinction, and the Northern Water Tribe has been laid siege to, but they survived it. The last Earth Kingdom stronghold that hasn’t already been taken over by the Fire Nation is the Capital, Ba Sing Se. To the people of the Earth Kingdom, it’s considered a safe haven, since the outer walls have kept the Fire Nation away for a century, countless generals have laid siege to Ba Sing Se, but the walls have never toppled. Thousands of refugees flock to gain passage and more spend their life savings to gain entry into Ba Sing Se. These refugees eventually settle in the Lower Ring of the city. People living within the Middle and Upper Rings of the city know not of the war. Speaking of the war is strictly forbidden within the walls. 

And so it begins.


	2. Clash

Renjun doesn't think he’s felt this desperate before.

 

Not when that sorry excuse of an Admiral killed the Moon, not when Chenle almost shredded the Southern Air Temple to pieces at the sight of Monk Yixing’s bones. It certainly cuts a close second to when that giant panda took Jaemin away, he supposes, or just a few days ago when they were in the darkness of the deep underground beneath Lake Laogai and Jeno futilely pressed water into Yukhei’s wounds.

 

His eyes sting with betrayal when he looks at Jisung, whom he’d trusted enough to lay his grief of losing his mother onto, deep within the eerie light of the Crystal Catacombs.

 

Jisung had earnestly confessed that he treasures Chenle as his first friend despite all Jisung had done was chase him across half the globe to capture him. And Renjun had equally earnestly believed him.

 

Forgiveness has always been one of Chenle’s saving graces, Renjun had no doubt that Chenle had, despite all the attempts on him, seen past the mask of the Blue Spirit and tried to mend the pieces of the broken boy behind it.

 

_“I have changed.”_

 

What a joke.

 

He wraps water around his arms, letting the soothing and familiar cool seep past the sleeves of his robes, by now tattered beyond recognition. He briefly mourns the loss of the ensemble, dyed in the icy blues of his homeland. He wonders how the clothes he and Jaemin brought from the Southern Water Tribe had dwindled down to, well, this. As seemingly insignificant as it was, it was a piece of home.

 

He remembers how clumsily his hyung held the needle and how messy the stitches in his boots were when he first had to take over the role of Renjun's mother. He remembers how his grandmother had laughed bitterly when her daughter's charge showed up at her tent with mismatched fabric and a sheepish face, and the pained smile on her face as she gently guided him to replace her daughter, who had been brutally ripped away from them long before her time should have come.

 

But what more should one expect from times of war? War chips away at what was until there’s barely anything left. And clothes from home are too childish an analogy to convey the horrors Renjun has seen, how it twists the human psych and eats away at the soul.

 

(He still dreams of the darkness of Yukhei’s eyes, his crazed determination to ‘pay back’ every death of his family to a town of innocent Fire citizens; he’s still haunted by the eyes of the refugees in their hollow waiting for the overstuffed ferry to get a chance to live a safe life in peace within the walls of Ba Sing Se)

 

Renjun silently assesses the battle that lies before him. The setup is almost romantic, he muses- Deep underground underneath the last Earth Kingdom stronghold, in a cave illuminated by firelight and glowing crystals, Renjun would have cringed if he were reading this from a scroll script, or if he were watching this scene from a play troupe.

 

But it wasn’t, the fate of the Earth Kingdom and the rest of the world is at stake.

 

These people were here to kill.

 

Renjun knows deep in his gut this stagnation won’t last. There’re too many Dai Li, and with the Fire siblings here he’s being forced further and further into a corner.

 

He doesn’t care for the Dai Li. They were dangerous alright - Earthbending Masters trained to police and subdue any signs of rebellion, guard dogs of the Earth Kingdom capital - but the real danger here was Prince Taemin.

 

Where Earthbending called for low stances, strong transitions and punches, _“Head-on mentality and rooting to the ground,”_ Donghyuck had said, which translated into the element itself, Firebending was all quick slashes, aggressive whirls and agile strikes, almost animalistic in its ferociousness. It was beautiful to watch, but oh, Renjun was not willing to burn just yet.

 

He doesn’t know how Taemin managed to turn the Dai Li to his cause to topple the Earth Kingdom, but he knows that taking his attention off Taemin would cost him his life.

 

He glances at a small crystal pyramid from the corner of his eyes. He’ll need to stall while Chenle is meditating. He recalls how Chenle’s face fell when Jisung defended Taemin, Renjun can only hope that Chenle can somehow shake the hurt off and grapple the Avatar State in time.

 

Logically he should be in too much pain to move from the sheer force of Taemin slamming him into the crystals, no doubt a large bruise is forming on his side and he should be feeling the effects of it pretty soon. He should be planning every move carefully to save energy but he dismisses that thought quickly, he’d never been much of a strategist, it had always been Jaemin who’d think three steps backwards and five steps ahead.

 

Renjun is a doer, it’s what led him to follow Chenle, and ultimately what led him to fall into Prince Taemin’s trap. All he can do now is hope he can make use of the adrenaline thrumming in his veins while it lasts.

 

He bites back a yelp of alarm when an assault from a Dai Li agent leaves him open to Taemin’s flames. He sends a horizontal swiping whip of water in retaliation, successfully tripping up several agents. He poises it to strike Taemin, but Jisung dutifully blocks it with a blast of orange fire.

 

No mercy. No mercy. No mercy. He can’t afford it. He tries to forget the tears smeared on his fingers from the very boy in front of him. He throws sympathy to the back of his mind.

 

He falls back on what Yuta taught him in the icy Northern tundra, and drops his centre of gravity lower, drawing water around him to assume the tentacles of an octopus. _“Kind of like a water whip_ ,” _Yuta had shrugged, “but like eight water whips. Each with a mind of their own.” Yuta scratched his head, “You get what I mean, sounds icky and all, but when you’re surrounded, you’ll find it to be the best defense.”_

 

Renjun had found the idea silly and hilarious, and had written it off as one of Yuta’s Kinky Life Discoveries or something (the fact that he had learnt Yuta used to court his sort-of hyung, sort-of dad really didn't help with his image at all, Renjun wasn't quite ready to have another stepdad just yet, let alone one that told him "Sicheng makes my insides all gooey" with a sweet smile on his face), only now does he realise the value of Yuta’s wisdom. His water octopus snatches blocks of earth hurling towards him out of the air and sends them to Taemin, who sneers and waves it off with a flick of his hand and a wave of flames.

 

He twirls, draining from the water octopus and launches a huge water jet at the Fire siblings, Jisung gracefully bends to shield them both from the attack. Renjun immediately freezes the remnants of the water and sends the icicles towards the agents, barely allowing himself to revel in that small sense of morbid satisfaction when he hears cries of pain and thuds of bodies onto the ground before immediately manipulating another water tentacle to block the multiple whips from the Fire siblings.

 

He must hold on for Chenle.

 

 

* * *

 

_“I’m going after him.”_

_Renjun paces on the ice. It was all his fault, he should have been more careful, he tripped over a trap in that Fire Nation ship, alerted the goddamn coast guard and now they have Chenle._

_The boy they unearthed from the iceberg._

_The Avatar._

_He should have stopped Chenle from going into that ship. Both ships. What was he thinking? How did it ever cross his mind that exploring an abandoned Fire Nation ship ever be a fun idea? How could he have just let them take Chenle away?_

_He should have gone instead of Chenle. It was his tribe, and he should be responsible, both for his inherent clumsiness and for the safety of the people who raised him._

_“Jaemin, he saved our tribe, we have to save him.”_

_Jaemin is shuffling in the background, Renjun pays no heed to what he’s up to, probably sharpening his spear or gutting fish or something equally useless._

_“I know you’re cautious, and I know you don’t trust him, but Jaemin, he’s just a child. Sure he’s the Avatar and all and we believe he can save the world, but first and foremost he’s just a kid! What will the Fire Nation subject him to? Captivity? Death? Torture?”_

_“Injunnie, I-“_

_He turns to Jaemin who is fastening something and fires on, “We need to help him. If we don’t, no one will. I don’t want to leave such an innocent child to his own devices, Jaemin!”_

_“RENJUN!”_

_“WHAT!”_

_Jaemin grins as he holds up several bags of supplies, he gestures to the flying bison that Chenle left behind. Kun snuffles and rumbles as he looks at the two of them expectantly._

_“Injunnie, you gonna talk all day or are you going to help me load Kun up?”_

_Renjun is baffled, “Load? Load who? Load where? But why?”_

_“We’re taking Chenle to the North Pole, remember? We’re getting him back from the coast guard first, then we’re going on a trip to get both of you a Waterbending Master.”_

_Renjun knocks both of them into the snow with the enthusiasm of his hug._

 

* * *

 

 

 

Renjun’s octopus form barely intercepts an attempt to bowl him over with a slab of rock. He curses as other agents slam their feet into the ground and send numerous sharp crystal shards his way, piercing his shield and bypassing his eight-limbed defense.

 

Damn it, just as he was feeling good about his chances.

 

He braces himself for the impact as a bright white light spread from the corner of his vision, shattering the earth and knocking the Dai Li to the ground.

 

Renjun lifts his head to watch Chenle rising from his perch, into the air, blond curls ruffling in the wind, eyes and the tattoos on his arms glowing. Renjun allows a small smile of pride to grace his lips.

 

They were getting out of here, they were getting out of here alive, and they’ll find Jeno and Jaemin, Mark and Donghyuck.

 

They’ll mourn the Earth Kingdom, but live and regroup to fight another day. They’ll hold out until the Solar Eclipse. Chenle has mastered the Avatar State. Things were looking up.

 

Renjun barely registers the lightning bolt from Taemin’s fingertips strike Chenle’s spine.

 

_“NO!”_

 

A sob tears from his chest as Chenle plummets, motionless and defenseless.

 

At Taemin’s “Now!”, the Dai Li rush forward, Renjun draws all the water he could from the cavern and channeling his grief, shoves them all back, filling their lungs and freezing them in place.

 

Chenle drops like a stone, but Jisung manages to catch him before he hits the ground. He shakes as he holds Chenle, face crumpling as he cradles Chenle’s prone form carefully and cups his face.

 

“No, no, no, Chenle, you can’t be- please- Taemin!” The young Prince looks up from Chenle’s face to the cruel smirk of his older brother, Jisung is sobbing like the world is ending,

 

Renjun feels like the world is ending.

 

“Hyung! You said you wouldn’t kill him! You said he was to be taken alive-“

 

Taemin snarls, “Don’t be a child Jisung, do I need to label you a traitor? How will you face our father? A Prince like you, obsessing over a childish crush? You should be glad I finished your duty for you.”

 

His duty- Renjun feels something ugly flare up in his chest.

 

Jisung whimpers and pulls Chenle closer, connecting their foreheads, “I don’t want it this way, I- I never wanted it like this.”

 

_“I never wanted to be the Avatar.”_

Jisung is no more than a puppet. His family, his very own family, had used his obedience and loneliness to play him like a string doll. In a way Chenle and Jisung were too alike: both unwilling victims of something larger at play, too large to control.

 

Renjun’s path had been made of choices- Decidedly narrow ones of course, the biggest choice being to make a companion of Chenle, but it was a choice nonetheless and it was a choice he had made himself. Neither Jisung nor Chenle had, up to this point, the luxury of choosing their destiny, they had just been thrown back onto the same path again and yet again.

 

_Bring pride to your nation, end the war._

 

_Bring peace and balance to the world, end the war._

 

Renjun’s heart goes out to Jisung without his permission, and for a split second he chastises himself for being so softhearted.

 

Taemin, lets out an incredulous laugh.

 

“Baby brother, has all that water gone to your head? Wake up! This isn’t a mushy Ember Island production. You have a duty to your nation!”

 

“Killing the Avatar in the Avatar State is even better than taking him captive, it ends the Avatar cycle, we never have to worry about the Avatar ever again! What else could you have wanted? Peace? Fairness? Love? What a joke!”

 

Renjun grits his teeth at the sheer audacity of the older Prince snorting with laughter. Cruel and cold-blooded, Taemin was the very embodiment of the lightning he harnessed so well, sharp, merciless, and deadly.

 

“Ha! Ridiculous! You’ve been hanging around our dear cousin Taeyong too much,” Taemin’s lip curls and eyes narrow, “He’s always been soft and weak, a trait from our grandmother. How piteous, he doesn’t have the heart to use his prodigious power. He’s pathetic, and worse, you’ve let him get to you.”

 

Taemin draws out a stance, like a cobra poised to strike.

 

“The Fire Nation allows no weaknesses. I should do away with you too.”

 

At the prospect of losing another, Renjun doesn’t think.

 

He sends out a whip, gets a hold of Taemin by his torso and throws him as hard as he can. The Prince lands with a pained _oof_ , but Renjun can’t find it in him to care.

 

If Chenle dies- He doesn’t want to entertain that thought, but if Chenle dies, and if he also meets his end here, at least he’ll take down as many Dai Li as he can, and by the Spirits (he’ll even pray to that wretched panda if he has to) he’ll drag Prince Taemin down while he’s at it.

 

Sweet, innocent Chenle, who thought all life sacred and would never hurt a fly, Renjun isn’t above spilling blood, isn’t above seeking revenge if they take someone so precious from him. Those who played a part here, he’ll take them and drown them and bloat them out so much that even the Earth won’t take them back. They’ll drift, lost in an element that was never theirs to control, a fitting end to traitors who betrayed their own nation.

 

A rumble and a bang brings his attention to the far wall, and Renjun instinctively flinches at the crackle of lightning when the opposite wall suddenly blows apart and takes out a good chunk of agents with it.

 

Taeyong emerges and tears through the agents with ease, punching blasts upon blasts of blue flame. Upon the sight of Jisung’s tears, he roars, knocking Taemin back down from where he was gathering his wits and toppling scores of Dai Li. The bent earth flattens and melts under the heat of his fire and the sheer force alone shakes crystals from the ceiling.

 

Renjun is momentarily stunned, and when he finally gets his bearings back, is extremely glad that Taeyong is their unlikely ally.

 

Taeyong summons a huge sweeping sheet of azure flames, a blazing tsunami that moves towards the enemy, engulfing and feeding on the Dai Li. He runs to Jisung and Renjun, and augments more fire around them so they are sheltered in a sweltering defensive dome.

 

“There’s no time to waste-“ Taeyong reaches for his cousin and grips him by his shoulders, “Sungie, there’s something you need to know, Avatar Boa, the Avatar before Chenle, is our great-grandmother.”

 

Renjun’s mouth falls open at the revelation. He recalls her majestic display of power when she took over Chenle at Cresent Island to destroy her own temple and defeat the disloyal Fire Sages and that Admiral Yifan, the amount of dignity she carried herself with, and the admiration in Chenle’s voice when he recalled his encounter with his past life (“ _Not to brag Hyung, but she’s so, so cool, and she has a pet dragon! How awesome is that!”)_ To think that Avatar Boa’s bloodline is still alive, and living in the Fire Nation palace no less, is mind boggling, to say the least.

 

Jisung must think the same as he just stares at Taeyong with wide eyes. Taeyong pays no heed to their reactions, he continues.

 

“I know you chose to help your brother because you believed it was by obligation of your blood. You’re not wrong, but remember this, Jisung-ah, half the blood in your body comes from the symbol of balance and peace.

 

“Helping the Avatar is not wrong, it’ll never be wrong, it’s your- our birthright, and this is something only you can do- redeem the Royal bloodline by helping the Avatar restore balance.”

 

He pauses and says, a softer “You don’t have to hesitate at the crossroads of destiny anymore.”

 

Taeyong smiles ruefully. Blue has always been a comforting colour to Renjun, and in the firelight, Taeyong looks like a Spirit, deadly and ethereal.

 

“There was never going to be a good time to tell you this, but here- I just might meet my end.”

 

He turns to Renjun, and his eyes pierce through Renjun’s very being, imploring and searching, and Renjun knew at this moment, Taeyong had little intention of getting out of here.

 

“Today is not the day for the Avatar to end. I trust Jisung with you. Get out of here alive, and may the Spirits be with you.”

 

The fire cocoon opens and Taeyong shifts it into a form similar to a flickering lotus. “I love you, Jisungie, don’t ever forget that.”

 

“Go! Take Jisung with you! I’ll hold them back!”

 

And Renjun is moving before he knows it, and he wraps his arms around Jisung and Chenle. His water is wrapping around them in a swirl and they’re going, up, up, up and away.

 

Jisung lets out a strangled, “Hyung! No! You’ll get killed! Taemin will-” he chokes.

 

“GO! JUST GO!” is the last they hear from Taeyong before they burst out to the open, into the moonless night.

 

 

* * *

 

Jisung is still holding Chenle as they get on Kun. The sky is somber and dark and as if Kun can sense Chenle’s gone, he rumbles sadly as he takes off. Their hyperactive chattering lemur Winwin is quiet for once, perched on Donghyuck’s lap as Donghyuck silently sobs into Mark’s shoulder. Jaemin clings to Renjun for comfort, just like the old days, but Renjun just feels numb.

 

He doesn’t dare hope as Jeno, white hair falling into red-rimmed eyes, produces the water of the Spirit Oasis from his necklace, and proceeds to press the gleaming liquid onto Chenle’s mangled back.

 

The Spirit Water spins and glows even brighter, then with a _splosh_ , sinks straight into the wound. The wound closes and scars. Chenle’s tattoos glow briefly.

 

Renjun holds his breath until Chenle’s eyelids flutter open weakly, and he whimpers, “-Jun-hyung?”

 

Tears spill helplessly from his eyes and Renjun all but throws himself at Chenle, he brushes his frizzled hair back, Chenle smells of ozone, probably from the lightning, but Renjun really couldn’t care less.

 

He cups Chenle’s face and brushes his lips against his forehead tenderly, “Hey Chenle, you scared all of us, we all love you so, so much… We thought you were gone-”  _for good._ His voice breaks before he could finish.

 

Donghyuck lets out a wail, a terrible sound that Renjun hopes he never has to hear again, and buries his head into Chenle’s chest, staining his burnt robes with tears.

 

“Chenle- Lele, Lele, my baby dolphin Lele don’t ever do that to us again, you’re my favourite pupil, I still need to teach you how to Metalbend, I can’t lose you-“

 

Donghyuck tightens his hold around Chenle’s torso, and it takes a while for Chenle to process what he said.

 

“…? I’m still Haechan-hyung’s only pupil right? Hyung I’m- Where am I? I still need to tell Mark-hyung that his fans aren’t too lame, he’s… actually really cool, can you tell him for me?”

 

Mark chokes at this, and Donghyuk responds by tearfully and tenderly kissing Chenle on his brow bone, and running a gentle hand through his hair to tame the sizzled ends.

 

Jaemin’s voice trembles as he replies, “Recover and tell him yourself, Chenle-yah."

 

Chenle’s gaze flits over their group, his eyes wandering and unfocused, he slurs softly, "But Jaemin-Hyung, I’m so tired... Really, really tired… and I need to stay awake to protect Jisung…”

 

Jisung startles and tears once again gather rapidly in the corners of his eyes before they spill onto Chenle’s forehead and cheeks, Chenle keeps babbling, “He’s my friend, I really, really like him a lot…”

 

He trails off and winces, all of them shift, alarmed, their hands fly about to try to ease his discomfort, by any degree at all.

 

“Please- please don’t hurt Sungie…”

 

Renjun’s tears taste bitter at the back of his throat. He never wants to see Chenle pale and lifeless ever again. Chenle should be full of life and energy, the happy virus of their own little ragtag group. And if extending their group to Jisung helps to protect Chenle’s smile, so be it. Renjun is willing to pay any price to keep Chenle smiling.

 

He clears his throat “It’s okay Lele-yah, I… won’t hurt Jisung, I promise, we’ll both be here when you wake up, we’ll all be safe and sound."

 

Jeno takes water- regular water, and bends it to Chenle’s temples, like a circlet. The water glows under Jeno’s hands, and the little crease in Chenle’s forehead fades. Renjun thinks that Chenle looks like a fairy like this, with his face relaxed and a halo of glowing water around his head.

 

Chenle’s eyes were starting to droop, they can all tell he’s fighting to stay awake.

 

“Sleep, Chenle, you’ve done well.” Chenle’s eyes slide close, he mumbles a soft, “Night, Jeno-hyung,” and Jisung holds him tighter.

 

Earth King Sehun, who was watching from the edge of the saddle, turns to look at what is left of his kingdom. Next to him, his bear Vivi lets out a mournful moan.

 

Flames have engulfed the once sprawling capital. They can hear the clatter of rocks, the screams and cries for help even from where they were scaling the clouds. Winwin folds his ears as he burrows further into Donghyuck’s arms.

 

Renjun closes his eyes, and he can picture poor baby Hope and her parents, who had struggled across the Serpent’s Pass with them, just to live within the walls of Ba Sing Se, how scared they must be. He can’t begin to imagine the suffering and fear of the people of the capital, most of which were sheltered and unaware of the war.

 

Until now.

 

He’d failed—They’d failed, to protect all of them. He feels Jaemin shift from behind him to hold Jeno’s hand, he already knows Jaemin’s mind must be running with theories of what had gone wrong, what they could have done better. But war is forward looking. And no amounts of _what ifs_ would ever reverse the burning of Ba Sing Se.

 

Earth King Sehun's eyes are downcast as he watches his war-torn city blacken and burn.

 

The last Earth Kingdom stronghold has toppled.

 

Ba Sing Se has fallen.

 

_“The Earth Kingdom has fallen."_

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

**  
**

**Epilogue**

 

“Jisung… Are you-“

 

Renjun pauses, what should he be asking, really? Are you okay? Are you sorry? Are you fucking kidding me?

 

He settles with “Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

Jisung shakes his head and looks at him with red-rimmed eyes, he looks drained beyond compare, and honestly Renjun can empathise with that.

 

“I- I left Taeyong-hyung behind. I left him after I betrayed him.” _He loves me, and I failed him._

 

Renjun winces, it was implied so heavily that it might as well be spoken.

 

To his surprise it was Jeno who speaks up, “Then you need to make sure you don’t waste his decision to stay behind.”

 

Sweet-Baby-Angel-Mellow-Jeno (as affectionately dubbed by Donghyuck) fixes Jisung with an oddly intense stare, and to his credit, Jisung doesn’t flinch.

 

Jisung sits up straighter, and swallows. He looks him straight in the eye, and says, “Yeah.”

 

“Yes, I’ll right all my wrongs. I’ll help Chenle take my father down.” He sounded confident and sure, a far cry from the sobbing boy in the cave. “I was in doubt before, but I’m not now. I’ll clear my bloodline by restoring balance. I’ll teach Chenle Firebending.”

 

He hesitates then, and curls into himself and says softly, “If you’ll have me.”

 

There were a few moments of heavy silence, until Donghyuck ( _of course_ ) broke it.

 

“I mean, it’s nice to have some Royal Fire butt to kick around.” Jisung looks up, surprised, to see Donghyuck wink at him cheekily.

 

Jaemin laughs tiredly, and reaches forward to pinch Jisung’s cheeks, cooing at the younger boy while Jisung flushes.

 

Mark grins, and extends his fist for a fist bump, “Well then, welcome to the Dream Team, Jisungie.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I went for Dream Team Sokka are you proud
> 
> Two different occasions inspired this little short, I’ve had it in my computer for a while now, and I couldn’t bring myself to upload since I kept reading other’s fics and I kept thinking how I can improve this
> 
> But again I knew if I didn’t upload it I never would so
> 
> 1) I kept thinking about Airbender!Chenle after the NCT 2018 weekly idol episode, there was that specific moment where the dreamies were dancing to MFAL and Chenle looked so airy and bouncy  
> 2) Healer!Jeno came from We Young Jeno, with platinum white hair- my headcanon is that he takes Yue’s position, but instead of giving his life to the moon, he shares his life force with the moon (hence his hair turns white), making him a proficient healer despite being a non-bender before. He’s… not a combative Waterbender though, that’s Renjun
> 
> Also: after I decided Yixing should be Monk Gyatso my brain just keeps hearing him say "Balance" now I'm cursed and I think I wrote 'balance' at least four times in this fic and I was extremely tempted to put it up as the chapter title as well I've been infected someone pls send help
> 
> This was a bit difficult to write, not just because of the fight scenes (the original anime ones in ATLA are beautiful to watch), also because I’m not used to such a solemn style of writing, the setting called for a more formal and somber language and I’m really not used to such serious narrative. I tried though, that’s what counts right?
> 
> I have a list of character headcanons, as well as how Chensung meets, if you're interested to know, I've started writing them as a separate drabble collection in the same series, go on ahead and check it out :D
> 
> Thank you for sticking around this far!!!
> 
> Comments are awesome. I’d love to know how to improve!


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